Overseas Students

Lord Chan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which 10 countries send the largest number of students to study in the United Kingdom in schools, colleges and universities.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest available information is shown in the table. Comparable information for schools is not held centrally.
	
		Top 10 overseas countries with most students studying in England 2001–02
		
			  Numbers 
			 HE institutions(1)  
			 Greece 22,100 
			 China 15,900 
			 Germany 10,600 
			 France 10,100 
			 United States 9,700 
			 Hong Kong 7,600 
			 Malaysia 7,500 
			 Republic of Ireland 6,200 
			 Spain 6,200 
			 Japan 5,800 
			  
			 FE sector institutions(2)  
			 China 5,900 
			 Spain 4,300 
			 France 2,800 
			 Czech Republic 2,200 
			 Italy 2,200 
			 Germany 2,200 
			 India 2,100 
			 Japan 1,800 
			 Pakistan 1,700 
			 Turkey 1,600 
		
	
	(1) Covers all HE and FE students in institutions funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
	(2) Covers all HE and FE students in institutions funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
	Source:
	Learning and Skills Council; Higher Education Statistics Agency. Numbers have been rounded to nearest 100.

Students from China

Lord Chan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What courses in schools, colleges and universities in England are the most popular among students from China.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The latest available information is shown in the tables. Comparable information for schools is not available centrally.
	
		Students from China studying in England by subject of study 2001–02
		
			  Numbers 
			 HE institutions(3)  
			 Business and administrative studies 5,600 
			 Computer science 2,000 
			 Engineering and technology 1,800 
			 Languages 1,800 
			 Combined courses 1,700 
			 Social, economic and political studies 800 
			 Law 500 
			 Creative art and design 300 
			 Physical sciences 300 
			 Biological sciences 200 
			 Mathematical sciences 200 
			 Librarianship and information science 200 
			 Education 200 
			 Subjects allied to medicine 100 
			 Humanities 100 
			 Architecture, building and planning 100 
			 Medicine and dentistry — 
			 Veterinary science — 
			 Agriculture and related subjects — 
			 Total 15,900 
			  
			 FE sector institutions(4)  
			 Humanities 3,800 
			 Basic education 800 
			 Sciences 500 
			 Business 400 
			 Hotel and catering 200 
			 Engineering 100 
			 Art and design 100 
			 Health and community care — 
			 Construction — 
			 Agriculture — 
			 Total 5,900 
		
	
	(3) Covers all HE and FE students in institutions funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
	(4) Covers all HE and FE students in institutions funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
	Source:
	Learning and Skills Council; Higher Education Statistics Agency. Numbers have been rounded to nearest 100.

Successor Identification Friend or Foe Equipment

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current and future deployment of Successor Identification Friend or Foe equipment.

Lord Bach: Successor Identification Friend or Foe (SIFF) equipment is being fitted to some 40 in-service sea, land and air platform types, covering over 1,000 individual platforms. Good progress is being made on the extensive fitting and integration programme. Nearly 50 per cent of the platforms will be fitted over the next two financial years, with the remainder scheduled to be fitted by the end of the decade.
	New platforms will include a SIFF capability as part of their baseline designs.

Defence Procurement Agency: Project Fact Files on Website

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many project fact files on the Defence Procurement Agency's website have not been updated for six months or more.

Lord Bach: All the project fact files have been updated in the past six months.

NATO Submarine Rescue System

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the design and manufacture contract will be awarded for the NATO Submarine Rescue System.

Lord Bach: It is planned to award the design and manufacture contract for the NATO Submarine Rescue System by the end of April 2004, on completion of contract negotiations.

Aircraft Carriers: Assessment

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the "assessment phase" which they are currently carrying out for the new carrier programme will result in any delay in the proposed construction operation.

Lord Bach: Ministers are currently considering the output to date from the assessment phase, including proposals on when to proceed to the demonstration and manufacture phase. Our aim is to spend the right amount of time and money on assessment phase activity before taking a major capital investment, so that we can mitigate risks and seek to deliver the future aircraft carriers to their target delivery dates of 2012 and 2015.

Scammell EKA Recovery Vehicle

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Scammell EKA recovery vehicle first entered service.

Lord Bach: The Scammell EKA recovery vehicle first entered service in 1977.

Recovery Vehicles

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is any shortage of wheeled vehicle recovery vehicles in the Armed Forces; whether the support vehicle will help mitigate this; and, if so, to what extent.

Lord Bach: There is no shortage of wheeled vehicle recovery vehicles in the Armed Forces and there are sufficient in-service wheeled recovery vehicles to meet the current operational requirement. The Support Vehicle Recovery (SV(R)) will replace the three in-service variants, with equivalent numbers and increased capability.

Recovery Vehicles

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there are any safety concerns regarding the long-term use of Foden Recovery Vehicles in the Armed Forces; and whether they will be kept in service after the support vehicle recovery variant comes into service.

Lord Bach: There are no safety concerns regarding the long-term use of the Foden Recovery Vehicle. It is likely to remain in service until 2013 and will be used alongside the Support Vehicle Recovery Variant, which will enter service via a phased programme from 2007–08 onwards.

Reservists

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the levels of the reservist standard award for the mobilised members of the Army Reserve and the Territorial Army over each of the past 10 years for the ranks of Private, Sergeant and Captain; and what recognition is made in each case of income lost during the period of active service.

Lord Bach: Reservists are called-out under the authority of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA 96) which governs the use of the Reserve Forces. RFA 96 provides reservists with certain safeguards which include the right for a reservist to seek exemption from, or deferral of, call-out and the right to claim financial assistance. The latter takes account of the difference, within certain banded limits, between the reservist's civilian and military salaries. This assistance is paid in the form of a reserve standard award (RSA); RSA is paid in banded rates that are related to a reservist's rank and specialisation. The current rates are set out in the Reserve Forces (Call-out and Recall) Financial Assistance Regulations (Statutory Instrument 1997/309) and are shown in the table below:
	
		
			  Band  Rank or category Band maximum (per annum) 
			 1 The rank of Corporal and below £22,500 
			 2 The rank of Sergeant through to Captain inclusive £37,500 
			 3 The rank of Major or Lieutenant Colonel £55,000 
			 4 The rank of Colonel or Brigadier or a member of specialist category I (medical officers or aircrew) £70,000 
			 5 The rank of Major General and above or a member of specialist category II (consultants) £153,000 
		
	
	In cases of special need, reservists may also apply for a reserve hardship award (RHA) if the RSA alone would cause financial hardship. RHA is calculated on essential expenditure rather than actual earnings and evidence of expenditure must be provided. There is no ceiling for RHA payments. As taxpayers' money is involved, the Ministry of Defence must have evidence of the outgoings before any such payment can be made. Should a reservist be dissatisfied with the Ministry of Defence's decision in any given case, they have a right to appeal to an independent Reserve Forces Appeals Tribunal.
	RFA 96 and supporting legislation did not come into force until 1997. The current rates of RSA have remained unchanged since then. Prior to 1997, neither RSA or RHA were available to reservists.

A27

Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What would be the cost of upgrading the A27 Southerham to Beddingham from single carriageway to dual carriageway.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The cost of upgrading the A27 between Southerham and Beddingham from a single carriageway to a dual carriageway is estimated at £27 million.

A27

Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many respondents to the consultation process on the upgrading of the A27 considered that a dual carriageway should be provided; and how many favoured a single carriageway.

Lord Davies of Oldham: A total of 450 people attended the public consultation exhibitions and were asked to comment on whether or not an improvement was needed. Overall 72 per cent of respondents stated that an improvement was needed. A small number of respondents requested consideration of a single carriageway improvement. When specifically asked to comment on the dual carriageway option, 58 per cent strongly approved/approved and 42 per cent strongly disapproved/disapproved.

Channel Tunnel: Proposed Freight Rail Link and Legislation

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following their decision not to support the proposal for a Bill for a dedicated freight line that would link the Channel Tunnel with the north-west of England, whether they welcome proposals from private sector groups to develop rail infrastructure projects; and how such groups can best obtain permission to develop these projects.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Such proposals are welcome but would be treated on their merits. The normal mechanism for private sector promoters to secure the necessary statutory powers to take forward rail projects would be to apply for an order under Part I of the Transport and Works Act 1992.

Channel Tunnel: Proposed Freight Rail Link and Legislation

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following their decision not to support the proposal for a Bill for a dedicated freight line that would link the Channel Tunnel with the north west of England, whether the use of hybrid Bill, private Bill or Transport and Works Act procedures would mean that they would be requested to intervene with taxpayers' money.

Lord Davies of Oldham: No, but promotion of a hybrid Bill inevitably more closely associates government with a project than is the case with applications under the Transport and Works Act procedures, which replaced private Bills as the normal mechanism for authorising the construction and operation of railways.

M6 Toll Road

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the permission to build the Birmingham Northern Relief Road was obtained; who was the promoter; and when the current concessionaires assumed responsibility for the planning, development and construction of the road.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The M6 Toll Road (formerly the Birmingham Northern Relief Road) was constructed under the provisions of the Highways Act 1980 and went out to concession and is being tolled under the provisions of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. Initially planned in the early 1980s as a publicly financed scheme, the M6 Toll was proposed by central government as a private financed scheme in 1989.
	On 28 February 1992 a 53-year concession agreement was signed between the Secretary of State for Transport and Midland Expressway Limited (MEL) to privately finance, design, build and operate the new road. The road opened on budget and ahead of schedule on 9 December 2003.

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid

Lord Jopling: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What authority the London Development Agency would need to provide the additional £250 million to meet the shortfall in the £2.375 billion required to stage the 2012 Olympic Games in the event of a successful bid; and what would happen if the agency declined to contribute the supplement.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The London Development Agency (LDA) funding is one of a number of potential tranches which would go to make up the £2.375 billion public funding package if required. The memorandum of understanding between the Government and the Mayor of London, presented to Parliament in June 2003 as Command Paper CM 5867, states that, "Should the shortfall between Olympic costs and revenues exceed £1.825 billion . . . up to £250 million from the LDA would be made available in keeping with their corporate plan". The LDA would not need any additional authority if, as is expected, its contribution were in accordance with its existing widely drawn economic and regeneration powers. If the agency declined to contribute any supplement that might be necessary, this would need to be addressed at that time. The Mayor of London does, however, have powers of direction and the Government are able to attach conditions to their annual grant to the LDA. —clean

Civil Partnership Bill: Tax Consequences

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will deal with the tax consequences of the Civil Partnership Bill in the Finance Bill 2004.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Civil Partnership Bill was published on 31 March 2004. Any tax consequences of the Civil Partnership Bill will be addressed in the first available Finance Bill.

Heritage Lottery Funding: North-east Metropolitan Borough Councils

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much Heritage Lottery funding has been given to (a) South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council; (b) North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council; (c) Newcastle Metropolitan Borough Council; (d) Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council; and (e) Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council; from (i) the inception of the Lottery until 1997; and (ii) from 1997 to date.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The amount of Heritage Lottery funding that has been given to each of the Metropolitan Borough Councils (MBC) listed below from (i) the inception of the Lottery until 1997; and (ii) from 1997 to date is:
	
		£ 
		
			 MBC From inception of Lottery until 1997 From 1997 to date 
			 South Tyneside 463,500 5,223,725 
			 North Tyneside 5,877,927 1,748,680 
			 Newcastle 2,257,928 18,164,034 
			 Gateshead 361,400 11,260,200 
			 Sunderland 9,238,200 5,666,570

vCJD Compensation Scheme: Support for Patients' Families

Lord Lucas: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will provide the 139 families who have intimated claims under the vCJD Compensation Scheme with easy access to specialist professional psychological counselling (as was done for the Alder Hey families).

Lord Warner: The expectation is that all hospital trusts will now have services in place to support patient's families at this difficult time. A survey of all trusts will be undertaken in April 2004 to monitor the level of support currently in place.
	The Patient Advice and Liaison Service will be a source of information about psychological and bereavement services.

Autism

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to reports that many children with a diagnosis of autism are being refused diagnosis or treatment for painful bowel conditions by National Health Service medical practitioners.

Lord Warner: We are not aware of evidence that autistic children are being refused diagnosis or treatment for painful bowel conditions. People, of all ages, who have autism have the same right of access to health services as everyone else.

Blood Supplies and Safety

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Secretary of State for Health's press release of 16 March on blood donations and vCJD, what specific steps the National Blood Authority will take to address the reduction now envisaged in the supply of blood available for transfusions; and what is their current assessment of the level of risk of vCJD infection to which people with haemophilia were exposed between 1980 and 1998.

Lord Warner: The National Blood Service (NBS) has in place an advertising and marketing plan to encourage new donors to come forward and existing donors to give blood regularly. The NBS relies on voluntary donors, and the plan aims to recruit new donors and encourage regular donation among existing donors and those who have not given for a while.
	In addition, we are working with the NBS to produce a revised approach to the Health Service Circular 2002/09 Better Blood Transfusion—Appropriate Use of Blood. This is to ensure that the safe and effective use of donor blood and also alternatives to its use are fully considered.
	The Department of Health commissioned Det Norske Veritas (DNV) to undertake an assessment of the risk of exposure to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infectivity in blood and blood products. This analysis was published in 1999 and considered the potential risks posed by United Kingdom-sourced plasma products. This covered all recipients, including haemophilia patients. The risks could not be quantified, due to major uncertainties as to what infectivity plasma derivatives might carry and about the prevalence of the disease amongst UK donors. An updated risk analysis by DNV has recently been published. This is available at http://www.dnv.com/consulting/news–consulting/RiskofInfectionfromvariant CJDinBlood.asp. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	As a precautionary measure plasma derivatives have been prepared from plasma imported from the United States of America. The expert Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues for Transplantation will continue to keep this issue under review.

Hepatitis C and HIV Inadvertent Blood Infection: Payment Schemes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	From what budgets the ex gratia payments scheme for hepatitis C infection from contaminated National Health Service blood products will be funded; and
	From what budgets the payments scheme for infection with HIV from contaminated National Health Service blood products is funded.

Lord Warner: The Departments of Health in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be funding the hepatitis C ex gratia payment scheme, known as the Skipton Fund, from central departmental budgets.
	The payment schemes for those inadvertently infected with HIV as a result of National Health Service treatment with blood or blood products, the Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts, are funded from the Department of Health's Central Health and Miscellaneous Services budget and by Section 64 grant aid.

Hepatitis C and HIV Inadvertent Blood Infection: Payment Schemes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why widows of haemophilia patients who have died of hepatitis C infection from contaminated National Health Service blood products are to be excluded from help under the proposed ex gratia payments scheme, while the widows of patients who have died from HIV infection are included in the existing payments scheme for that infection.

Lord Warner: Unlike the Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts, which administer schemes for those infected with HIV, the ex gratia payment scheme for those infected with hepatitis C as a result of National Health Service treatment with blood or blood products, known as the Skipton Fund, is not a charitable trust.
	The Skipton Fund has been designed to make lump sum, ex gratia payments to those living with the hepatitis C virus and has not been designed to compensate for bereavement. For these reasons it is distinct from the HIV payment schemes.

Hepatitis C and HIV Inadvertent Blood Infection: Payment Schemes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What limits the Department of Health has imposed on its consultation with the Haemophilia Society on implementation of the ex gratia payments scheme for hepatitis C from contaminated National Health Service blood products; and for what reason.

Lord Warner: Representatives of the Haemophilia Society have met with officials and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health during the course of the Department of Health's deliberations on the hepatitis C ex gratia payment scheme. A constructive dialogue has been established and is continuing.
	Most recently, officials from the health departments in England, Scotland and Wales met representatives of the Haemophilia Society and other patient groups on 26 March 2004 to discuss the implementation of the hepatitis C ex gratia payment scheme, and in particular the application process. The Department of Health welcomes further feedback from the Haemophilia Society and other interested parties on this and any other aspect of the implementation of scheme.

Hepatitis C and HIV Inadvertent Blood Infection: Payment Schemes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the total sum paid by the Macfarlane Trust to the widows and other dependants of haemophilia patients who have died from HIV infection caused by contaminated National Health Service blood and blood products.

Lord Warner: Specific figures for the total sum paid by the Macfarlane Trust to widows and other dependants of haemophilia patients are not available. The scheme of payments adopted by the trust and its provision for regular and one-off payments makes it impossible to calculate how much money has been paid to these recipients.

Hepatitis C and HIV Inadvertent Blood Infection: Payment Schemes

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will require people to be included in the ex gratia payments scheme for hepatitis C infection from contaminated National Health Service blood products to sign a waiver before payment; and, if so, in what terms and on what grounds.

Lord Warner: Recipients of payments made under the hepatitis C ex gratia payments scheme, known as the Skipton Fund, will not be required to sign any form of waiver.

Alcohol Treatment Centres

Lord Dixon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of the 457 alcohol treatment centres in England are based in the north-east region; and in which area health authorities in that region they are based.

Lord Warner: There are 475 alcohol treatment centres in England. Most of the funding for alcohol treatment services is drawn from the mainstream budgets of the National Health Service and local authorities. The method of funding these services means that it is not possible to give a breakdown of numbers at a regional level. —clean

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in the light of their clarification that myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is a neurological disease and not a psychiatric disorder, they will forward this information to the chief executives of all National Health Service healthcare trusts, to primary care trusts and to social services departments; and whether they will issue a press release to inform the general public and the media about the correct classification of the syndrome; and
	What steps they have taken to inform the Presidents of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health that those of their documents which describe chronic fatigue syndrome as a mental health disorder or list the syndrome under the heading "Support for children with mental problems" are not in accord with the Government's confirmation that myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is a neurological disease.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health did not say that myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is a neurological disease. What we did, with the help of the World Health Organisation and WHO Collaborating Centre, was clear up some confusion around terminology in the second edition of the WHO Guide to Mental Health and Neurology in Primary Care.
	In our present state of knowledge, chronic fatigue syndrome remains medically unexplained with various associated risk factors, and with variable symptoms, including some neurological, cardiovascular, digestive and psychological symptoms.
	Our policy remains as stated in the government response to the Independent Working Group's report in 2002. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating and distressing condition affecting many people. It is a chronic illness and health and social care professionals should manage it as such.
	The Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Paediatricians and Child Health are independent organisations and the Department of Health is not involved in the publication of their documents. Questions on the content of their publications need to be taken up with the organisations and authors involved.

Obesity: Provision of Pedometers

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration they have given to providing pedometers free of charge on the National Health Service for the clinically obese as a means of encouraging them to monitor their physical activity and raise awareness of the energy consumption:output equation.

Lord Warner: Pedometers can help to provide the motivation for individuals to increase their walking, particularly when their use is encouraged by health professionals. The Department of Health is currently funding, together with the Countryside Agency and the British Heart Foundation, a pilot to disseminate 10,000 pedometers through primary care trusts in areas of health inequality. The aim of the pilot is to use the pedometers as a motivational tool to increase levels of walking. A final report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot will be available shortly and the outcomes will influence future action.

Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, and if so where, it was stated during the passage of the National Health Service Reform and Healthcare Professions Act 2002 that the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals would have the power to refer to the High Court a decision taken by a regulatory body relating to alleged misconduct by an individual practitioner.

Lord Warner: Section 29 of the National Health Service Reform and Healthcare Professions Act 2002 gives the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals the power to refer decisions of certain committees of regulatory bodies to the High Court where it considers that such a decision is unduly lenient and that it is desirable for the protection of members of the public to do so. This provision was explained during the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill in the House of Lords on 31 January 2002 at col. 356 of the Official Report.

Animal Health Acts 1981 and 2002

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many regulation-making powers in the Animal Health Act 1981 have been superseded by replacement powers embodied in the Animal Health Act 2002; and
	How many regulation-making powers there are in the Animal Health Act 2002; and, of these, how many have been exercised as at 31 March 2004; and
	Whether the regulation-making powers in the Animal Health Act 1981 are still being exercised; and, if so, which powers.

Lord Whitty: The Animal Health Act 1981 provides Ministers with many powers to make secondary legislation for the control of animal disease and the welfare of animals. These powers are still extant. There are very many instruments remaining in force made under the original Act.
	The Animal Health Act 2002 amended the Animal Health Act 1981, so as to provide further powers to make secondary legislation, particularly in relation to foot and mouth disease, scrapie and other exotic and endemic notifiable animal diseases. An example of the use of the powers as amended in 2002 is the Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease (England and Wales) Order 2003. In total, three orders have been made under these new powers and all relate to avian influenza and Newcastle disease.